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July 7 (UPI) — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base on Friday, carrying 48 Starlink V1.5 Internet satellites as part of SpaceX’s vast satellite network.
The rocket took off from Complex-4E at 3:29 p.m. EDT. The first stage of the rocket, which had been previously used 12 times, safely re-entered the atmosphere and landed precisely on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean, just 9 minutes after launch.
The 48 Starlink satellites were scheduled to separate from the Falcon rocket’s second stage 19 minutes after liftoff.
This launch marks the 45th successful launch for SpaceX this year and the 244th mission overall. SpaceX continues to fulfill NASA’s requirements and attract clients from around the world to deploy their satellites into orbit.
However, the increasing number of satellites, projected to reach the tens of thousands, is causing concerns among astronomers regarding the impact on their observations.
Starlink and OneWeb satellites, among others, reflect sunlight and create flashes and streaks that not only disrupt images but also cause interference and ghost images, according to Jonathan McDowell, a renowned satellite tracker and astrophysicist.
McDowell explained, “A very bright satellite passing near the telescope’s field of view can scatter light across the entire field, causing transient effects even for non-illuminated satellites and masking celestial sources.”
While SpaceX has attempted to address these concerns, the measures taken have not fully satisfied the astronomical community.
In other news, German cruise line AIDA announced that it has successfully installed Starlink broadband Internet on three of its ships: AIDAblu, AIDAbella, and AIDAstella.
Steffi Heinicke, Senior Vice President of Guest Experience, expressed excitement about the faster Internet connections and improved web surfing experience for both guests and crew. AIDA plans to implement this new standard on all of its ships in the near future.
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